How much frost can cyclamen tolerate?

Did my cyclamen freeze to death?

Whether your cyclamen is actually frozen depends on several factors:

• What kind of cyclamen is it?
• Where did the cyclamen winter?
• How cold was it at the hibernation site?
• Was the ground frozen?

Some types of cyclamen, the so-called garden cyclamen, are up to approx. minus 25 °C and do not freeze to death so quickly, even in deep frost. These variants quickly sprout again in spring and bloom in summer or early spring. in the autumn. The winter-flowering species, on the other hand, are not sufficiently hardy and should only be placed outside in summer. So your cyclamen may have frozen to death if

• it is a non-hardy species
• the plant appears to be drying up after a cold snap
• a hardy species does not sprout again in spring.

How can I save a frozen cyclamen?

Whether you can save the frozen cyclamen depends on the condition of the tuber. If only the above-ground parts of the plant have fallen victim to the frost, cut them off. In the course of the spring you will see whether the plant will sprout again. However, if the tuber is also frozen through, it is usually not possible to save it. Then only the planting of new cyclamen helps, whereby you should fall back on actually hardy species.

Which cyclamen are hardy?

Of the 22 types of cyclamen, only these are really hardy and tolerate frosts down to minus 25 °C:

• Early spring cyclamen (Cyclamen coum): planted in autumn, flowers between February and March
• Summer cyclamen or European cyclamen (Cyclamen purpurascens): the only species native to the Alps, after which the plant genus is named, flowers between July and August
• Autumn cyclamen or ivy-leaved cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium): flowers between August and October, leaves sprout only after flowering

You can plant these species in the garden without worrying. On the other hand, all other species that tolerate a maximum of minus five degrees Celsius and therefore at one are not suitable quickly froze to death during the winter cold snap - these can only be saved if the tuber is intact has stayed.

In particular, the winter-flowering cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) should only be kept indoors. In summer, this species should "summer", i. h insert a rest phase. The plant then blooms again.

Although the cyclamen does not tolerate frost, it still prefers a rather cool location. A room window facing east or north with a maximum room temperature of 16 °C is ideal.

• Cyclamen are hardy down to minus 25 °C and very robust.
• They still need some winter protection in the form of a sheltered spot and a cover of brushwood.
• In particular, the tuber must be protected from frost.
• If the tuber remains intact, the plant will sprout again and again.
• However, most cyclamen are not hardy and must be overwintered indoors.